SchoolCloud Parents’ Evening – our platform for virtual parents’ evenings.

Welcome to our Virtual Parents’ Evenings support page. We use the SchoolCloud Parents’ Evening Platform, which allows parents and carers to book appointments online and meet with teachers remotely via video calls.

The video below demonstrates how to log in, book appointments, and attend video calls.

Device & Browser Requirements

To participate in a video call, you will need:

Minimum Requirements:

• A device with a microphone and speaker
• A compatible web browser:
  • iPhone/iPad: Safari
  • Android: Chrome or Firefox
  • Windows: Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge
  • Mac: Safari, Chrome, or Firefox
  • Linux: Chrome or Firefox

Recommended for the Best Experience:

• Use a smartphone for video appointments. If your phone lacks a front-facing camera, use a laptop or computer with a webcam.
• Use a headset or earphones with a microphone to reduce background noise and echo.

How to Attend Your Appointments via Video Call

1.Login to the SchoolCloud Platform

On the day of your video appointments (or earlier, if you wish to test your camera and microphone), log in via: https://maidstonegs.schoolcloud.co.uk/ or click the login link in your ParentMail confirmation.

Once logged in, you will see a notice about your upcoming video appointments and an option to Join Video Appointments. Click this button to enter your appointment or test your setup.

2.Check Audio & Video Settings

Upon clicking Join Video Appointments, the Check Audio and Video screen will appear. You may be prompted to allow camera and microphone access – click Allow.

From this screen, you can:

• Turn your microphone and camera on or off.
• Change which devices (microphone, speaker, and camera) are being used.
• Check your audio and video quality before proceeding.

When you’re ready, click Proceed to Video Call.

3.Joining and Managing Your Call

Once in a call, your screen will display:

• Top Left: The teacher’s name and subject.
• Top Right: A countdown timer to the start of the appointment.
• Bottom: Controls for microphone and camera, along with options to Pick Up or Hang Up the call.
• Center: The Start Appointment button when your meeting is due to begin.

Starting a Call

1. Click Start Appointment.
2. You will see yourself in the bottom right corner.
3. If the teacher has not yet joined, a message will indicate their status.
4. Once the teacher joins, you will see and hear them, and your discussion can begin.

The remaining appointment time will be shown in a blue progress bar at the top, which turns red in the last 10 seconds.

If a Connection is Lost

If you or the teacher lose connection during the call, log in again and click Start Appointment. If the other person remains in the call, the session will continue.

Appointment Timing

• Calls will automatically end when the countdown timer reaches zero.
• If you or the teacher are late or leave and rejoin, the timer does not reset—appointments always finish at the scheduled time.

4.Moving to Your Next Appointment

If you have back-to-back appointments:

• Click Start Next Appointment when prompted.
• If you delay starting, your appointment time will not be extended.

If there is a gap between your appointments, a countdown will display the time remaining until the next session.

Once your final appointment has ended, you will receive a message confirming the completion of your Parents’ Evening.

Need More Help?

For additional guidance, visit SchoolCloud Parents’ Meetings Support Page.